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Gama, Vasco da

Born: 1460 Died: 1524

Explorer who sailed around the Cape of Good Hope in 1497 to reach Calicut in India in 1498.

Geoffrey was the son of Fulk II, count of Anjou. A legend surrounds Geoffrey depicting him as a great knight and warrior. The legend concerns an invasion by the Danes who had been attacking lands of France for some time. Amongst them was a fierce warrior called Ethelulf. No one could kill the huge Dane and he challenged all to try. When Geoffrey heard of this he secretly travelled to Paris where the Danes were approaching. Geoffrey confronted Ethelulf and killed the giant. He cut off the head of Ethelulf and gave it to a servant to take to Paris. No one knew who had killed the Dane and it was only later at a reception at Paris that Geoffrey was recognised by the servant who had been given the head. Because he was wearing a grey cloak, Geoffrey was given the nickname Graygown or Greymantle. Geoffrey was succeeded by his son Fulk, the Black.

Geoffrey Martel was the son of Fulk Nerra, count of Anjou. Geoffrey became count of Anjou in 1040 when his father died. Martel was a fierce warrior brushing aside all that stood before him. In 1044 the county of Touraine was overrun by Geoffrey when his army captured Tours, its capital town. When he died in 1060 Geoffrey had no children so he divided his lands of Anjou and Touraines between his nephews Geoffrey the Bearded and Fulk Rechin. Fulk received Touraine and Geoffrey received Anjou. Geoffrey Martel died in great pain from an illness.

Some years earlier William had supported the exiled Count Herbert of Maine when Geoffrey Martel invaded the province and captured its main town Le Mans. As part of the pact William and Herbert agreed that if Herbert died without an heir the province could be claimed by William. William's eldest son Robert Curthose was betrothed to Herbert's daughter (Margaret?) but she died before they could be married. When Herbert died William claimed Maine in the name of his son and invaded. Robert was made Count of Maine when the province was captured.

Geoffrey (The Bearded)

Died: circa 1109

Geoffrey the Bearded was the nephew of Geoffrey Martel, count of Anjou. The count had no children so arranged for his lands to be divided between his nephews Geoffrey and Fulk Rechin. Geoffrey received the areas of Anjou and Saintonge, an area on the west coast of France. Fulk received the area of Touraine. The brothers Geoffrey and Fulk began to fight amongst themselves and in 1066 Fulk captured Geoffrey and imprisoned him.

Fulk Rechin was at war with his brother Geoffrey. They were fighting over the lands of Anjou and Touraine which had been left to them by their uncle Geoffrey Martel, the count of Anjou. Fulk captured Geoffrey the Bearded and captured Anjou later taking the title of count.

Giffard, Walter

Died: 1279

Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1264, and chancellor after Simon de Montfort's defeat and death at Evesham in 1265. Giffard became archbishop of York in 1266 and acted as regent for Edward I.

Giric became Scotland's king in 878 and jointly ruled with Eochaid. Both men must have had a claim to the early Scottish throne. Giric was a warrior and invaded Northumbria several times. He died at Dundurn in 889. After the death of Giric, Donald, a son of Constantine I succeeded to the throne.

Katherine was the daughter of Owain Glyndwr and she married Edmund Mortimer. Edmund had been fighting on the side of Henry IV against Owain Glyndwr's Welsh revolt but had been captured by Owain at the battle of Pilleth. Owain demanded a ransom from Henry IV to free Edmund but Henry refused to pay. Edmund decided to join Owain Glyndwr's cause. He even married Owen's daughter Katherine.

Sweyn Godwineson attempted to return to England and wanted forgiveness for his earlier crimes. Earl Beorn went to meet Sweyn as part of Sweyn's return, but Sweyn had the Earl murdered. For this new crime Sweyn Godwineson was exiled again from England by Edward the Confessor.

An English army under the command of Sir Thomas Kyriel and Matthew Gough were attacked at Formigny in Normandy. The English were defeated and many of them were captured including Kyriel. Matthew Gough managed to escape.

On his return from Normandy Matthew Gough was made Captain of the Tower of London. Gough was killed in the fighting with Jack Cade and the rebels on London Bridge soon afterwards.

Grey, Catherine (Lady)

Lady Catherine Grey was the granddaughter of Mary, the younger sister of Henry VIII. Catherine's elder sister, Lady Jane, was involved in an attempt to take the English throne by force and was executed. Catherine had a good claim to the English throne and at one point could have become Queen of England if Queen Elizabeth had died.

Henry married Frances the granddaughter of Mary a daughter of Henry VII. Henry and Frances had several daughters one of which was Lady Jane Grey. At the end of the reign of Edward VI Henry and Jane's father-in-law John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, plotted against Mary Tudor, Edward's sister, to place Jane on the throne of England. The plot failed and after another failed rebellion Henry was captured and executed.

Sir John was the owner of the Bradgate estate and had considerable wealth. He was Lancastrian by inclination. Elizabeth Woodville married Sir John in 1457. The couple had two sons and life seemed to be good, but Sir John was killed in the second battle of St Albans in 1461 and Elizabeth returned to Grafton, to the family home, with her sons.

King Edward I of England granted Ruthin to Dafydd, the brother of Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd in return for his help against his brother who have been attacking English interests in the north of Wales. Construction of Ruthin Castle may have begun under the direction of Edward or Dafydd himself.

David the brother of Llywelyn was handed over to the king by his own supporters who had already surrendered. He was taken to Shrewsbury Castle where a Parliament met and sentenced him to death by execution.

Aelfgar, earl of Mercia was outlawed by the witan. In revenge he built a force and allied himself with Welsh Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. After defeating the King's nephew, Radulf, they attacked Hereford and raided the church killing several canons and taking everything of value leaving the building on fire. The rebels also attacked Leominster.

In reponse to the attack on Hereford Catherdal, Leofgar the bishop of Hereford took an army into Wales to deal with the Welsh prince. In battle Gruffydd ap Llywelyn killed the bishop and others near Glasbury on Wye. Earl Godwin raised an army in response but the two side eventually came to peaceful terms and Aelfgar was later restored to his position.

Gundulf

Died: 1108

Known as the 'weeping monk of Bec'. Gundulf came across from Normandy after the Conquest with Lanfranc. Gundulf was well known and admired for his building skills and Lanfranc used Gundulf to rebuild his Cathedral. In 1077 Gundulf was made Bishop of Rochester and a year later William the Conqueror used Gundulf's skill in the construction of the White Tower, the keep of the Tower of London.

Gundulf's thirty year career of magnificent castle and cathedral design and construction came to an end with his death. His plans for the reconstruction of Rochester Cathedral were left incomplete. It was not until 1115 that construction work was to resume under the direction of Ernulf.

Gunnhilda

Wife of Swein (Sweyn) Fork-Beard and mother of Canute (Knut).

Gwynedd, Owain (Prince of Gwynedd)

Born: circa 1109 Died: 1170

Owain Gwynedd was the Prince of Gwynedd in North Wales during the reign of King Henry II. He was the eldest son of Gruffydd ap Cynan and succeeded to the kingdom of Gwynedd when his father died in 1137. He successfully increased the lands he held by attacking the other princes of Wales. In 1146 he turned his attention to the English who were moving into Wales. Owain attacked and captured Mold Castle. In 1148 he defeated English forces under the control of Ranulph, Earl of Chester. In 1157 King Henry II invaded Owain's northern territories, both by land as far a Rhuddlan and by sea all the way to Anglesey. A truce was agreed between the two rulers and Owain paid homage to the English King. In 1165 Owain joined the fight against the English in northen Wales and captured Basingwerk and Rhuddlan castles.